"It started coming together last year, and 2013 will crystallize his emergence among the game's elite," Rapoport writes. "His play will erase previous negativity."

Suh registered nine sacks last season and also led all defensive tackles with 20 quarterback hits.

But Suh wasn't the only Lions player recognized by the NFL.com panel.

After his record-breaking 2012 season, superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson is the popular choice to be named Offensive Player of the Year, edging out Adrian Peterson and Drew Brees.

Albert Breer, Jeff Darlington and Daniel Jeremiah all cast their ballots for Johnson.

Darlington took his prognostication a step further, stating Johnson will top the single-season receiving yardage mark for a second consecutive year.

"A beastly season in 2012 put Johnson into a class reserved for the greatest wide receivers of all time," Darlington wrote. "And this year, he's about to do something nobody has ever done before: eclipse 2,000 receiving yards in a single season."

Jerry Rice is the only wide receiver to ever be named the league's top offensive player, winning the award twice, in 1987 and 1993.

Beyond Suh and Johnson, Detroit Lions rookie Ezekiel Ansah got a little love from reporter Judy Bautista, who believes the defensive end could win the Rookie of the Year.

The No. 5 overall pick in April's NFL draft also remains the favorite in Las Vegas. Ansah is listed at 13/2 odds to win the award, just ahead of Pittsburgh linebacker Jarvis Jones and Arizona Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu.